Happy Easter! Christ is risen.

#TXAB https://www.christalmighty.net/2016/03/easter.html

Today (beginning last night, Hebrew-style) is the first day of Passover, the yearly remembrance of when Yʜᴡʜ rescued the Hebrews from Egyptian slavery about 3468 years ago (give or take a few decades).

Why don’t Christians celebrate it? Well we do… but in English-speaking countries we call it Easter, and celebrate it very, 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 differently: We focus on God saving the 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥, not just the Hebrews. Plus, y’know, chocolate bunnies.

#TXAB https://www.christalmighty.net/2017/04/passover.html

Something I wrote in 2017 about guns, and why the United States doesn’t control them. Has to do with gun nuts and human depravity—and it’s a reminder of how gun nuts will not inherit the kingdom of God.

(No, that’s not an addition to scripture. Gun nuts’ fleshly, murdery attitudes fulfill 𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘴 5.21 without my doing any such thing.)

#TXAB https://www.christalmighty.net/2017/10/guns.html

Something I wrote in 2017 about guns, and why the United States doesn’t control them. Has to do with gun nuts and human depravity—and it’s a reminder of how gun nuts will not inherit the kingdom of God.

(No, I’m not adding that to scripture. Their fleshly, murdery attitudes fulfill 𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘴 5.21 without my doing any such thing.)

#TXAB https://www.christalmighty.net/2017/10/guns.html

“Preach the gospel—use words if necessary.” It’s a quote attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, though there’s no evidence he ever said it. One certain Christians 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 to repeat, ’cause it suits them so well. And our relationship with Christ Jesus 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 be visible by our actions, right? We should exhibit obvious, noticeable good works, kindness, generosity, and love. To everyone.

But not without words. After all, Jesus himself uses words. The scriptures are nothing 𝘣𝘶𝘵 words. And if we don’t use our words to tell people why we do as we do, they’ll make assumptions… usually based on why 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 might do good deeds, and not always with the best of motives. Nope; we 𝘨𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘢 use words.

#TXAB https://www.christalmighty.net/2023/03/words.html

It’s more dramatic to make Jesus look, at the time of his arrest, trials, and execution, as a passive victim of out-of-control societal forces. It’s not true at all, though. At any point in the unjust proceedings, Jesus could’ve stopped things with a word. He chose not to; he has just that much self-control.

#TXAB https://www.christalmighty.net/2023/03/stopped.html

Many a commentator and crackpot has tried to explain why Judas Iscariot sold out Jesus to the Judean authorities. Thing is, the scriptures don’t say, so all their guesses are nothing more than guesses—some educated, some stupid.

I know; the scriptures 𝘥𝘰 say Judas was an embezzler, and received money for his tip. So, some are gonna say Judas was money-hungry, and others (who are kinda Mammonist themselves) are gonna insist that 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 be why. But again: Both are guesses.

What we 𝘥𝘰 know is Judas was possessed. How much, and what that looked like, the scriptures still don’t say. So there’s that factor to consider: Dude wasn’t in his right mind.

#TXAB https://www.christalmighty.net/2016/03/judas.html

I’ve heard more than one preacher claim Christ Jesus, as he prayed in Gethsemane, sweat blood. Which is a real, stress-related medical condition, and life-threatening… which must be why an angel showed up to strengthen him, right?

Thing is, every last one of these preachers just failed basic reading comprehension. The 𝘎𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘶𝘬𝘦—in the original, and in just about every English translation!—says Jesus’s sweat was 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 drops of blood. That’s a 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘦, folks. Sweat poured off him 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 he was bleeding; he was 𝘯𝘰𝘵 bleeding through his sweat glands.

Plus 𝘓𝘶𝘬𝘦 22.44 is a textual variant. Luke didn’t even write it. So yeah, these preachers didn’t do a basic bible study either. But they sure did have fun looking up hematidrosis on Wikipedia.

#TXAB https://www.christalmighty.net/2019/04/sweat.html

I’ve heard more than one preacher claim Jesus, as he prayed in Gethsemane, sweat blood. Which is a real, stress-related medical condition, and life-threatening… which must be why an angel showed up to strengthen him, right?

Thing is, every last one of these preachers just failed basic reading comprehension. The 𝘎𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘶𝘬𝘦—in the original, and in just about every English translation!—says Jesus’s sweat was 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 drops of blood. That’s a 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘦, folks. Sweat poured off him 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 he was bleeding; he was 𝘯𝘰𝘵 bleeding through his sweat glands.

Plus 𝘓𝘶𝘬𝘦 22.44 is a textual variant. Luke didn’t even write it. So yeah, these preachers didn’t do a basic bible study either. But they sure did have fun looking up hematidrosis on Wikipedia.

#TXAB https://www.christalmighty.net/2019/04/sweat.html

Y’might notice all the problems Paul addresses in 1 𝘊𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘴 are still around: Partisanship. Promiscuity. Exceptionalism. Pursuit of rank because of our giftings. Gifts without love. The End depicted as cosmic revenge fantasies rather than Jesus defeating death.

We got a lot of work to do!—which starts by 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴, not our sects and parties, nor zeal, nor by imagining bible trivia and good theology are valid substitutes.

#TXAB https://www.christalmighty.net/2023/03/milk.html

[1/2] There’s a term Calvinists use when their young, overzealous theologians get so enthusiastic about doctrines, they forget to be gracious and kind and otherwise like Jesus: They call it “the cage stage.”

#TXAB https://www.christalmighty.net/2017/12/humility.html

Humanity’s knowledge about God ultimately has to come from God himself. We suck at guessing, and it’s downright stupid to search within ourselves for divine impulses—𝘸𝘦 don’t know the difference between legit God stuff and our own ideals or happy thoughts, no matter what the most popular gurus might claim.

Now whether something’s legitimately from God or not, and how we can tell, is for other articles to address. This one just deals with #revelation.

#TXAB https://www.christalmighty.net/2017/02/revelation.html

St. Valentine’s Day remembers some ancient Christian martyr named Valentinus. We don’t know which one. I know; lots of votes are for this one bishop in particular, but we don’t 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 it’s him. Really the saint is just a placeholder for the day… and the day’s a celebration of romantic love.

And don’t let Christian weirdos make you think there’s something inherently wrong with romantic love. There’s not. It can definitely be worth celebrating.

#TXAB https://www.christalmighty.net/2023/02/valentine.html

Happy #Epiphany. You can take your tree down.

#TXAB https://www.christalmighty.net/2017/01/epiphany.html

Happy #Epiphany. You can take your tree down.

#TXAB https://www.christalmighty.net/2017/01/epiphany.html

A number of people deconstructing their faith (i.e. taking it apart to make sure it’s valid) have decided the route to better religion is by leaving church and abandoning the bible—the two things we use to help confirm we’re actually listening to the Holy Spirit.

Wanna shipwreck your Christianity? That’d be the fast way to do it.

#TXAB https://www.christalmighty.net/2022/12/bible-n-church.html

If you’re Christian, one of our resolutions—not only for the new year, but for all time—is we oughta get religious. Or more religious. Where we are isn’t good enough. Nor should we ever think of it as good enough. We must always strive to follow Jesus better.

Thing is, too many American Christians would rather wrap ourselves in a big blanket of Jesus junk, and think we’re good enough. Of course we’re not, and it shows.

#TXAB https://www.christalmighty.net/2022/12/religious.html

Every new year, many Christians will resolve to read the entire bible, 𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘴 to maps, as the old joke goes. But 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 they read the whole thing? Not always.

Here’s one way to facilitate reading the entire bible: A checklist. Read it at your own speed; check off each chapter or book once done. Why take a whole year to read it, on someone else’s awkward and unnatural schedule, when you could knock it out on your own in a few weeks?

#TXAB https://www.christalmighty.net/2016/01/read.html

Too many Christians are under the delusion that once we turn to Jesus, the Holy Spirit automatically turns us into better people, so we naturally (or supernaturally) gravitate towards thinking and doing the right thing. It’s BS—and really popular BS.

Cold hard reality: We have to make an intentional effort to follow Jesus. To learn how he thinks and what he wants us to do. (Love, mostly.) The Spirit helps considerably—but 𝘸𝘦 must resolve to be better people.

#TXAB https://www.christalmighty.net/2016/12/resolutions.html

On the magi. Christians have a lot of myths about them, mostly based on ancient Greek hearsay about them—much of it slanderous, ’cause Greeks didn’t like Persians. What magi were, were Zoroastrian priests. These particular priests happened to dabble in astronomy. Looking for God? Dunno… but it seems they found him.

#TXAB https://www.christalmighty.net/2022/12/magi.html